The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-02
SLAVES OF BUSINESS.


New York Letter Phladep phi Press.
Dr. Norvin Green, president of the Western
Union Telegraph Company, is quite certain tn at
men break down from overwork. They reduce
their systems to such condition. SAID he. that
when some exiting cause develors II thew are
red off ralysis or apop Ky. The ex-
citing may be any one of thousand
things. cold what-not, but ir finds them
ready and takes them OFT
My predecessor, President Orion, of this
company, died from overwork and worry about
his work. He worked night and day. Often in
the daytime he talked with so many Persons,
directors and others in the company, that NIGHT
found him with work on hand. He had a black
bag in which 1t was his custom to carry papers
up to his house and there he continued his
labors He was in debilitated condition when
night ne ate too heavily or took two meals
too closely together and that proved
the of the fatal stroke from
which he died. The many instances
know and read of where men die after losing
their money in Wall street illustrate the
thing. They are brought TO the same condith
as is produced Dy work and worry. believe i
advertisement at night. in evening amusements
that take the mind away from the shop
after work is done. L seldom work at night and
try never go do Mental work is more ex-
hausting than physical work. The habit of
driving in the park that many men rely on for
recreation I do believe in. IL they drive
alone they think of business. and if they take a
companion they talk shop
Mr.. Eugene Kelly, the banker and pfrianthro-
pst was found, like President Orion. hard at
work on the hottest day of the year in his Of
flee in a narrow, downtown street. He, ALEC,
believes that men may and do xiii themselves
by overwork. Notice" said he, how often
men 60 insane and kill themselves when they
have nothing-certainly not money-to want
for. There have been plenty of such instances
Their hearts are in their work and their minds
wrapped up in it It may be
that some neglect their health and
eat and sleep irregularly, but if
you bring that question in you open discussion.
As far as the question by itself of whether there
is such thing as too excessive work or not Is
concerned, think there is. Think of the men
who pave the streets bending their backs in pain
and standing in the hot sum- They often kill
themselves and. really. il is wonder they do
not do SO oftener. In of mental work
the men who are wrapped up. heart and mind.
in what they are doing are the oEes who give
way"
Perhaps no man in the city has many bust
ness cares as Erastus Wiman. He is the presl-
dent of a railroad and of a telegraph company
and the ventures he is in are too many to
enumsrate in a newspaper article of this length.
To him went for is answer to my question.
II don't know" said he; 81 sometimes think that
me. In the cases that have fallen under my
observation it has been worry and irreg-
thar have Broken men down Hassy
improper or irregular eating. missing meals
and trying to do without sleep are the mischief
makers in many cases. To be- sure, they are
the consequences of too thorough surrender
work and you may ascribe death from such
causes to the work itself, for, certainly, every
t0lQE was 8ODOFufnateO &c lAoOr, UuL on Inc
other hand, little system aud regularity and a
proper regard for health could have been OBJ
served and the same amount of work performed
without the fatal consequences that followed the
other course. No: / have my doubt whether
work by itself will kill man."
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Thomas l.. James IN
stantly stepped TO the other side of the question.
He had worked as hard as ne knew how, and
that very hard, indeed. first in putting the
New YORK postoffice into its present condition
and next in managing the entire denartment
from his seat the Cabinet. and yet he not
only did not kill himself bur he Is stout and
rugged the city contalns--almost a
rustic In his ruddiness and rounduess.
II not help that he said. when he was
thus described to himself; Il have known too
many instances where men have broken down
from overworK to believe that everwork
break men down. 1t is only the other day
that warned friend that If he did not rest he
would regret il, and the very next day he was
bedridden with paralysis 1t Is often the re-
sponsibility and worry that accompany work
that harm a man than the actual
work itself, but how you going
to separate the twol When was
postmaster it the responsibility that
weighed most heavily on me- The New York
Office is the clearinghouse for the money-order
my responsibility for that branch of the BUSH
ness / know men who working too
hard. They are not content TO work IN business
hours. but keep on at night without diversion,
without full rest and without ever clearing their
minds of business They apt 60 get what
/ call .head-tired,' aud when a mans head
grows tired, that he feels it and it hurts him.
be is apt 10 be in a bad way and is certain to
break down il he does not shut down